Vernal, UT truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Vernal: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Vernal and Uintah County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Uintah County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 143 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Uintah County compares with Utah
Uintah County against Utah and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Uintah County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Uintah County | Utah | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 31.8 | 35.6 | 49.7 | 11% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.5 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.63 | 0.47 | 0.49 | 1.3× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.8% | 1.5% | 2.3% | 51% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.7% | 9.0% | 6.2% | 59% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.1% | 23.6% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 3.7% | 15.8% | 13.8% | 76% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 35.1% | 43.0% | 41.9% | 18% below the state |
| After dark | 21.6% | 24.1% | 24.8% | 10% below the state |
Compared with Utah, Uintah County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
Uintah County at a glance: October worst month: 15.4% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
Since 2015, 143 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Uintah County. They injured 90 people and killed 6.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 30 days.
Only 66 truck crashes were reported in Vernal since 2015; patterns below come from Uintah County as a whole.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 15.4% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (4.2%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 35.1% of truck crashes, vs 43.0% for Utah.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 9.1% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 3.7% of truck crashes, compared with 9.0% in Utah.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Vernal is US-40, with 3 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by SR-45 (1) and Vernal Ave (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 1 of the truck crashes here, or 0.7%, compared with 1.5% in Utah.
Route planning tips for Vernal fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Uintah County.
- Look at alternatives to US-40 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Uintah County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-40 | 3 |
| SR-45 | 1 |
| Vernal Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Uintah County) |
|---|---|
| SR-40 | 21 |
| SR-191 | 9 |
| SR-121 | 5 |
| Sr-40, At - | 4 |
| SR-88 | 3 |
| SR-45 | 2 |
| Sr-191, | 2 |
| Sr-191, At - 14 Feet P Of Sr-191 | 2 |
Vernal at a glance
| Population | 10,698 |
| Land area | 4.6 sq mi |
| Density | 2,314 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Uintah County since the 1990s
Combines the FMCSA crash file (all reported truck crashes, real coverage from about 1990) with NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes involving a large truck, 1982–2024).
| Decade | Truck crashes / yr | Change | Fatal crashes / yr (FARS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 14 | — | 0.6 |
| 2000s | 29 | +116% | 1.6 |
| 2010s | 22 | -24% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 11 | -51% | 1.0 |
In the 1990s about 14 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 11. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.8 a year in 2016–19, 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Vernal
How common are truck crashes in Vernal?
Since 2015, 143 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Uintah County (90 injured, 6 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Vernal?
US-40 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Vernal since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Vernal?
Truck crashes in Uintah County peak in October, with 15.4% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Vernal?
1 crash involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Uintah County since 2015, 0.7% of all truck crashes.
How does Vernal compare with Utah for truck crashes?
Uintah County records 31.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 35.6 across Utah.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Vernal?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.